Conditions: Winds and rain this past weekend were excessive with Lake Erie pounding out waves in excess of 10 to 15 feet. By Monday things began to subside and give way to some sun and a short burst of warm weather . On and off light rain has kept the tribs at nice levels since then with good flow and color. Fish numbers are strong in the upper stretches of both Elk and Walnut Creeks with relatively light angling pressure compared to the past few years. Anglers have been doing well from the the Girard Boro Park area to the Legion Park area on Elk Creek all the way up to the McKean Hole off I-79. A number of anglers settled in behind the Millcreek Mall on Walnut Creek this past Monday with some success. West County trib conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were at average levels with good flow and color.

Pennsylvania Steelhead Association Welcomes Outdoor Writer Mike Bleech: The Pennsylvania Steelhead Association is proud to welcome Mike Bleech to this months meeting scheduled for Wednesday November 8th at 7:00 PM at the American Legion Post on Route 5 just East of Tom Ridge Field.

Mike Bleech has been a full-time outdoor writer and photographer since 1981. He has written more than 3,500 articles for more than 90 magazines, newspapers and web sites, is a columnist for Erie Times News, the Warren Times Observer and the Pennsylvania Outdoor Times. He is also the author of two books. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Professional Outdoor Media Association, and New York State Outdoor Writers Association. Mike is a colorful writer with a wealth of information to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Mike should be a real treat for the members and guests. The public is welcome.

Walnut Creek Basin Opening: The docks at the Walnut Creek Marina have been removed. The Basin will be open to fishing at 2:00 on Thursday November 2nd. The basin can be a great place to fish for steelhead. It is handicapped accessible and is a good place to set up the lounge chair for a more relaxed fishing experience. Good parking as well as the Walnut Creek office are close by for a quick warm up, snack, or rest room facilities.

Steelhead and Coho are to Easy Smoke:Even the poorest of chefs can produce fine smoked fish that will rival or better anything that can be bought. Don't be afraid to experiment with spices to give your treat the personal touch....have fun!!

Whether it's salmon, Steelhead or trout, this 'smoking' brine recipe and flavor tips are sure to bring your neighbors running. Hopefully they've brought along a nicely a nice loaf of homemade bread, a chilled bottle of "Chardonnay" or a good rich dark ale, both of which are great to have with smoked fish.

Fillet the fish as usual. Then cut into 2 or 3 inch chunks. If you want to smoke the fish in larger portions be sure to increase your brining time. Make sure to cut off the belly fat. The tail section should be 4 to 5 inches in length and that is reserved for the cook!

Basic BrineFor every one quart of water dissolve: 1 Cup of White Sugar 1/2 Cup of non-iodized Salt 1 Cup of Brown Sugar

Plug in your smoker and let it preheat. (a charcoal smoker will work fine too) Pull the fish from the brine solution and rinse under cold water.

If you used the Herb Recipe above do not rinse the fish. You may want to roll the fish over and pull it from the Herb mixture meat side up which will allow all the wonderful spices to stick to the meat.

Place the chunks of fish on racks that are on paper towels. Dab of any excess moisture and allow the fish to air dry for 45 minutes to an hour.

If you are using a wet smoke, save the brine for the moisture pan and fill to 1/2 to 3/4 capacity and place in the smoker while it preheats.

If your using the plain or Herb brine, try using Alder chunks and chips for the flavor.

If you used the Maple brine or used any other sweet brine, use Hickory! You may want to try and sprinkle some Brown Sugar on the meat while it's drying. It will give the fish a Teriyaki flavor when it comes out of the smoker.

Smoke for 1-1/2 to 3 hours.

Add chips or chunks at the beginning and at the 1 hour time frame.

Check often and when the fish flakes, it's done!

Enjoy!

Local Weather:

Local weather radar for the Erie Area from the National Weather Service ccan be viewed at NWSERIERADAR